THOUGHT THURSDAYS

Looking Beyond the Rands and Cents: The REAL cost of austerity measures in post- gender-based violence (GBV) care

The National budget speech, tabled by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, on Wednesday, 21 February presented declined economic growth forecasts and a rising debt to GDP ratio. The state re-emphasised its commitment to its fiscal goals, including austerity measures to the tune of R80.6-billion in reduced spending. These measures will undoubtedly continue to affect post-GBV services to abused people, especially women and children offered by organisations like MOSAIC.

MOSAIC offers a holistic basket of services to empower individuals, families and communities to enjoy safe relationships, homes and communities free from gender-based violence. The commitment to post-GBV care at the time of the incident is realised in MOSAIC’s provision of 24-hour first responder and counselling support as part of the Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) model. Offering a lifeline to survivors of sexual and domestic violence and their families. The impact of the current austerity measures have already disrupted this continuum of care, in the form of consolidation of services, non-filling of vacancies, among others, leaving gender-based violence response services devoid of the dedicated, specialist personnel as envisioned in the NSP on GBVF.

What are austerity measure policies and why do they matter?

The Institute for Economic Justice explains austerity measures as a way to “balance the budget”, through restrictive austerity policies implemented through aggressive spending cuts, regressive tax increases, or a combination of both.

As we face the reality of a GDP in consistent decline and high unemployment rates, it's crucial to recognise the interconnectedness of economic stability and social well-being. Violence, particularly gender-based violence, stands as a significant barrier to unlocking our nation's full potential. Budget cuts affecting essential services like TCC have far-reaching repercussions, impacting not only women's health, access to justice and safety, but also hindering economic productivity.

So what’s the REAL Impact

Let’s visit Khayelitsha District Hospital (KDH), with a subdistrict population far exceeding its official bed capacity, serving as a stark example of the challenges faced in providing essential care amidst limited resources.

A woman, let’s call her Tinstwalo, walks into KDH having just experienced rape. She is aware that KDH has a dedicated TCC that has specialised services for rape survivors. She goes there after escaping from the hands of her rapist expecting the comprehensive service promised by the integrated TCC model. However, due to the current austerity measures, she waits almost 24-hours to receive the specialised services because  there is no dedicated forensic doctor. Tintswalo, is only received by a MOSAIC first responder, who has no capacity to examine and administer life-saving medication such as Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent contracting HIV, emergency pregnancy prevention medication, wound treatment. Her physical and emotional wounds are left untreated for hours. During this time, Tintswalo, without access to a doctor present at the time of presenting at the TCC is at risk of secondary victimisation and might miss the first 72 hours, which are a critical window for medical care, support and forensic evidence collection, post rape. The ripple effect of access to post-violence care also hinders Tintswalo’s ability to open a criminal case, supported by collected evidence by a doctor, should she choose to pursue justice.

Failure to access immediate post-violence care defines a survivor’s life forever going forward, through possible contraction of HIV/STIs and unwanted pregnancies as well as unseen scars. This is the real cost of brutal budget cuts which are felt across the sector, inflicting secondary victimisation of thousands of women who labour daily for South Africa’s economy.” - Adv. Tarisai Mchuchu-MacMillan, MOSAIC Executive Director.

MOSAIC's advocacy for 24-hour specialised post-violence care is informed by a deep understanding of the urgent need for comprehensive and timely support for survivors of GBV. MOSAIC understands that the consequences of failing to access post-violence treatment extend far beyond the immediate trauma, shaping the trajectory of a survivor's life indefinitely. By engaging with stakeholders such as the Western Cape Gender Justice Forum and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), MOSAIC continues to advocate for efficient 24-hour service delivery within TCCs.

The TCC model was designed as a real solution to the pandemic of GBV as such, it is essential that collectively the Department of Health, National Prosecuting Authority, Department of Social Development and South African Police Service work together to prevent the implications of budget cuts and ever growing austerity measures to not affect post-GBV care services. It's imperative to look beyond the Rands and Cents, and recognise the real-life impact such measures have on individuals and society as-a-whole.

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